56 FISHES AND FISHERY METHODS 



Tuna Clippers. The tuna clipper (Figure 4.7) is one of the few fishing 

 craft operated in the United States that can be considered a design 

 developed for a U.S. fishery. The modern U.S. tuna clipper is a large 

 complex craft capable of operating thousands of miles from home port. 

 Modern clippers are identified by the raised deck forward running aft 

 past amidships. The main deck which is extremely low aft is awash much 

 of the time. A number of raised wells or tanks used for carrying live 

 bait are on the stern. A covered canopy is normally built over the three 

 after wells. 





Figure 4.7. Tuna clipper. 



Fishing is conducted from steel racks hung outboard over the main 

 deck rail along the port side of the ship adjacent to the canopy and 

 around the stern. During running, the steel racks are pulled inboard. 

 The fishing paraphernalia consists of short bamboo poles from which 

 feathered jigs or live bait are fished. The poles are stored in overhead 

 racks built below the canopy top. Clippers range from about 80 to 170 

 feet in length and are constructed from wood or steel. They operate in 

 waters from lower CaUfornia to Chile, and in some summer months may 

 work their way north along the Oregon and Washington coasts in pursuit 

 of an)acore tuna. 



Tuna Seiners. In the past several years there has been a rapid con- 

 version of pole-and-line clippers or bait boats to purse-seine boatsl To 

 accommodate the large seine and accessory fishing equipment, the bait 

 wells aft are removed and the stern area remodeled to accommodate a 

 seine table or net platform. A large purse winch and new mast and boom 

 are installed, and the vessel is ecjuipped with a hydraulic-driven power 

 block. The booms of the tuna seiner are probably the longest of any fishing 



